Hay-tedder



(No Model.) 7

F. E. KOHLER.

HAY TEDDER.

w Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK E. KOHLER, OF CANTON, OHIO. I

HAY-T EDDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,723,dated February 23, 1886.

Serial NO.1T4,31B. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK E. KoHLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Canton, county of Stark, State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hay-Tedders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hay-tedders, and in providing means by which the tedder-frame may automatically adjust itself to uneven surfaces.

A further object of my invention relates to and consists in providing a spring or yielding connection between the tedder-frame and the thill-frame.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

Figure l is an isometrical view of my invention, showing the parts in normal position. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing one form of applying myinvention. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the spring-bar, showing the manner of adapting it to the hand-lever.

A A are the main supporting and driving wheels. Each of these wheels has upon its inner face a concentric cogged rim, B, which may either have independent spokes a a of its own projecting from the hub of the sup porting-wheel, or it may be bolted or otherwise secured to the spokes of the main wheel in any usual or approved manner.

Gis the through-axle, preferably of wood and square in cross-section.

D D d (1 are bars arranged transversely on the axle.

E E are bars or girts parallel to the axle, which, with the bars D d d, constitute the main frame. This main frame is pivoted to the axle eccentrically-that is, ona line other than the center of the axle, which forms the axis of the cogged rims by means of cars or lugs 0 c, bolted to the upper surface of the axle, which by preference is flat, but may be of other shape, with a corresponding change in the under surface of the lugs.

F F are the thills hinged at their rear ends to transverse bars or rails D D, and connected by means of bars ff, substantially as is customary in this class of tedders.

G g arebars at right angles to barsff", and H is a lever attached to crank-shaft R, journaled upon the bars G9, and connected by links it h with the bars D D at the front ofthe main frame.

h is a sector-plate mounted upon the bar G, and provided with a series of notches, into which a locking-latch of lever H takes, by. means of which device the main frame can be tilted or vibrated about the axle O.

I is the crank shaft, having a series of cranks in different relative positions. This crank-shaft is mounted upon the rearwardlyprojecting ends of the transverse bars D d d, and carries at each end a pinion, i, which engages with the cogged rims B. The shippinglever J is bolted rigidly to the front face of the main axle C; and b is a sector-plate bolted to the side of the longitudinal beam d, and provided with notches to receive the lockinglatch carried by the lever J.

K K are arms, each mounted upon a crank about midway between its ends, and connected at its upper end to the bar E by means of a link, Z, substantially as is customary in this class of tedders.

single piece of wire, three, four, or more convolutious at m, and an inwardly-turned spur or lockingarm, N, at its upper end. This spur is seated in a socket formed for its reception in the tooth-arm K, the tooth being further secured to the arm by means of a clip, k, which is bolted to the arm K. Lever H is provided with a curved iron rod, Q, projecting rearwardly and downwardly in the arc of a circle passing through a perforation in the upper end of bracket P, which is mounted upon the frame-piece G in the rear of the lever H. Above this rod Q and below ing on a cross-pin or any other suitable device, for preventing the rod from drawing out of the spring. This rod may be from fifteen to twenty inches in length and of about fiveeighths of an inch in diameter, the spring of about No. 10 wire and coiled on a pitch of about four to the inch and to be about the full length of the rod P.

M are the tedder-teeth, each formed of a the bracket P there is a coil-spriug, W, rest- The upper end of the rod Q is bifurcated and provided with asp'ring-bolt, S, by which it is attached to the lever H. The boltS is provided with a coil-spring, 0', within the frames, one end of this spring resting against the frame, the other against a pin passed through the bolt,serves to hold the boltin position, as shown in Fig. 3. By taking hold ofthe handle of the bolt it may be drawn back, so as to disengage the rod P from the lever H. Lever H is provided with a bell-crank-handle lever, T, to operate the catch-bolt T in the usual way, and also is provided with a ring, a, that may be passed over the end of thelever T, so as to hold the catch-bolt out of engagement with the sector h and allow the lever Hto vibrate freely about the sector, influenced only by the oscillations of the main frame through the links h and shaft It, the weight of which, when thus connected, rests on the spring 10. By this ar rangenient of parts the main frame will be free to oscillate about the main axle during the progressive movement of the tedder, so that in case the tedder-forks M come in contact with .ridges or mounds of ground or other obstructhe spring w,through and by means of the rod Q, lever H, rod It, and link h,which, after passing such obstructions, will restore the parts to their former position and avoid breakage or damage, which is usual in tedders not so constructed; and,further, this yielding connection between the main frame and the thills will allow of the setting of the tedder-forks much closer to the ground without the usual liability of breakage.

The operation of the spring M may be assisted or resisted by the hand of the operator on the lever H; or, the ring-keeper's may be thrown off at any moment, releasing the handle-lever T, and the catch-bolt and the frame be held in a rigid or fixed connection with the thills, and the spring-bolt S drawn back, releasing the springrod Q from engagement with the lever H.

By use of the lever J the pinion i may be J thrown into or out of engagement with the cogged rims B,to either start or stop the movement of the crank-shaft and tedders.

Having thus fully described the nature and operation of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is the oscillating tedder-forks, the main vibrating frame, hinged thills, links h, shaft R, lever H, rod Q, bracket P, and spring w, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

- 2. In a hay-tedder, the combinatiomwith an *axle, a main frame pivoted thereto, thills pivotally secured to the main frame, a leverjournaled to the thills, and devices, substantially as described, connecting the lever and main frame, of the bracket secured to the thills, a curved rod secured to the lever and passing through the bracket,and aspring encircling the rod and bearing against the bracket, all ofthe above parts operating substantially as set forth. 3. The combination, with the main frame, thills pivotally secured thereto, a leverjourdescribed, connecting thelever and main frame, of the curved rod, the spring-bolt for securing the rod to the lever, the bracket secured to the thills, and a springsecured on the rod and bearing against the bracket, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with an axle, the main pivotally secured tothe main frame, of alever secured to the axle, asector secured to the main secured to the lever and passing through the bracket,and the spring encircling the rod and bearing against the bracket, substantially as set forth.

my hand.

FREDERICK E. KOHLER.

WVitnesses:

GHAs. R. MLLLER, BURT A. MILLER.

naled to the thills, and devices, substantially as frame pivoted eccentrically thereon and thills frame, and devices for locking the axle to the sector, the bracket secured to the thills, the rod In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1. The combination, in the hay-tedder, of 

